NFL Top 10 Series: Center Honorable Mentions

With the 2012 NFL season steadfast approaching, it’s time to continue an original Garden State Sports Guy production: The NFL Top 10 Series. As the Top 10 countdown approaches for each position, we’ll be looking at honorable mentions for each position as those steadfastly approach. Today we’re going to once again be looking at a position that isn’t so glamorous. However it’s arguably one of the most important positions in football, because without a center there is no one to transfer the football to the quarterback and allow for play to begin. The center is also important to a large degree because he along with the guards are very important in creating running lanes through the gaps, up the middle, and all around. Just ask the Saints because on opening night last season Olin Kreutz’s inability to push up the middle may have cost them the game.

Honorable Mentions for the Center Position

Eric Wood: The name may not ring much of a bell to you, and while he has been listed as a guard, Eric Wood made the transition to center in 2011 and needless to say, he excelled at it. Wood was better at pass protection than any center in the league last year, because all he did was give up a miniscule two hurries and one hit on 301 snaps. In case you’re wondering, that means that not less than 1% of the time that he was on the field, someone got through to the quarterback. That is absolutely astounding, and if Wood has even half the performance in 2012 as he did in 2012, Buffalo will surely reap the rewards, given the fact that Wood is slated to be the full-time center for the Buffalo Bills in 2012 and beyond. 

Mike Pouncey: The first of two Pouncey brothers to make this post, and arguably the better one suits up for the Dolphins than on the Steelers. Sure, Maurkice had a great year with the Steelers in 2010, and was the bright spot on an otherwise dreadful offensive line, but Mike seemed to play up to his level in 2011, if not better. His fanatical footwork was a marvel to watch, and he helped pave the way to one of the most surprising storylines of the 2011 season: Reggie Bush attaining a 1,000+ yard season on the ground. I might be in the minority, but I think Mike is a better player right now than Maurkice and will develop into a better player than him as well. But both Pouncey brothers are going to be excellent in their careers and may vault themselves into the discussion as best center in the league down the road.

Maurkice Pouncey: The second Pouncey brother appears on this post now, and deservingly so. Pouncey is the anchor on an otherwise dreadful Steelers offensive line that did get a big boost this offseason with the additions of Mike Adams and David DeCastro. With Willie Colon moving to guard, the Steelers offensive line, for once, looks competent. However even with all of that said, I do think that Maurkice is overrated, but still good enough to be mentioned honorably. He had a pretty good showing in 2010 in his rookie year, but even with that said he was one of the worst pass blocking centers in the league, in particular getting absolutely destroyed by Buffalo DL Kyle Williams in Week 12 of the 2010 season, and last year he once again had a very above average but not great year. He was not very consistent at creating running lanes like his peers were, and undeservingly made the Pro Bowl. However I do believe Maurkice has a ton of upside and with some time and work he can turn into the center that Steeler fans think they see each and every Sunday.

Nick Hardwick: Nick Hardwick from 2008 to 2010 was one of the worst pass blocking centers in the NFL. So why exactly does he make this list? Because despite the fact that 2008-10 was grouped together, he has turned it around exceptionally over the last two seasons. Hardwick was eighth in PFF’s pass blocking efficiency stat in 2010 and bumped all the way up to fourth, allowing just nine pressures the entire season, while on the field for 603 pass blocking snaps. We’ll recognize Hardiwkc’s hard work to better himself, and hopefully for his sake he can continue the improvement in 2012 and make a case to be in the discussion as a an elite center in the National Football League, even after a brush with retirement rumors.